Still waiting on forgiveness?

Forgiveness can be tough. Especially when you temporarily shove your morals and ethics aside and do something thoughtless, careless or just downright selfish and end up hurting or offending somebody. Getting them to forgive you is a gamble. And even if they do, odds are things won’t quite be the same.

I yelled at a friend once. At the time I only knew her for a few weeks, yet took it upon myself to rudely give my opinion on a matter, using words and a loud tone I should’ve kept to myself. I apologized the next day and she forgave me. Still I felt awkward around her after that.

Now on the other hand, I can think of some examples where my forgiveness should’ve been sought:

• From my high school chemistry teacher for making the class ridiculously hard.
• From my college Media Law and Ethics teacher for the same reason.
• From that guy from that talent show (you know what you did—or didn’t do).
• From MySpace for being so freaking addictive.
• From fried chicken, Klondike bars (original, Krunch, Oreo, Heath and especially that new caramel pretzel) and several gangster rap songs – all for being so good but oh so unhealthy.

You know, if you think about it, you can probably think of lots of people you feel should be begging for your forgiveness, or maybe people you owe an apology. Get it out here—they just read it.

-- C. Samantha McKevie

Tragic times can cause some to question faith

It seems almost inevitable. When tragedy strikes - be it by natural causes, an accident or another human being - some people begin to question the almighty: Where was God? Where is God? How did God allow such a thing to happen?

The question was bound to surface following the shootings at Virginia Tech Monday. Believers are generally taught not to question God. But perhaps when parents, relatives, friends or just people watching or reading the news learn about events so devastating, so unexpected, so painful, their immediate reaction is to pose those questions. Some ask the questions after reality sinks in.

It’s not an easy question to consider. There’s lots of scripture in the Bible that speak of both happy times and hard times, both miracles and tragedies. Christians know life will have its ups and downs; still it’s a different story when the tragedy actually hits home.

Some are waiting for the answer to the questions; others believe that God is right there waiting to comfort them.

What do you think about this?

-- C. Samantha McKevie

Does God takes sides in politics?

With election season at fever pitch, we'd like to know: Do you think God cares about the political battles taking place across America this month?

If so, is he Republican, Democrat or none of the above?

Is Jesus on his way?

Saturday we ran a story on the End Times.

When I was doing the interviews for this story, it surprised me how many people -– both church-goers and non- -- were thinking about it.

It’s been 20 years since Prince released what I understand is one of his all-time greatest albums, Sign O’ the Times, with a song titled The Cross.

Black day, stormy night
No love, no hope in sight
Don't cry, he is coming.

When he re-released the song about 10 years later, there was a new book on the market, Left Behind, the Biblical thriller by Dr. Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins. The book and its series have sold more than 62 million copies – Prince, Mr. Jenkins and Dr. LaHaye weren’t the only ones wondering about what was coming down.

What is pop culture trying to tell us?

Is the restlessness and uneasiness –- if not craziness -– people see in the world today a prelude to the Last Days?

Is judgment about to fall?

Is Christ watching, even at the door of history, to fulfill his promise that he will return someday?

What do you think?